The Orchid Flora of North West Himalaya. 1986. 258 plates (line-drawings). 459 p. 4to. Cloth.

The study of orchids of the Himalayas has always fascinated plant scientists, mountaineers, tourists and common men and women. The only book available is J.F.Duthie's "The Orchids of North-Western Himalaya" published three quarters of a century ago, describing 173 species which were known at that time, and giving illustrations of only 53 species.

To meet the demands of a modern treatment. the present authors brought out a new comprehensive volume describing 239 species with 260 illustrations, many of them for the first time and provided modern keys for easy identification. They re-examined all those specimens on which Duthie's original flora was based and also checked all those which have been described as new since then. As a result of their critical study many identifications in Duthie's Flora have been changed and corrected, and it was also found that many of the new additions were based on wrong identifications. Six new species have been added.

Almost all the material present from North-Western Himalaya at Dehra Dun-Herbarium, Dehra Dun, Universities and other Institutional Herbaria situated at Nainital, Almora, Ranikhet, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Jammu, Lucknow etc.have been consulted. In addition, new expeditions in the Himalaya were organised to collect and examine the orchids in fresh conditions. The descriptions have been prepared from actual specimens giving detailed notes on their taxonomy, distribution and ecology. All the specimens examined have been listed with their locality, collector's name and numbers. The illustrations are based on voucher specimens and carry the name of collector and their number, so that their authenticity can be verified. In many cases several diagrams of the same species have been drawn to show variations. The book includes an account of the history of orchidiology of the North-Western Himalaya, a detailed and critical account of the phytogeography with several maps and charts.